Blood and Angels
by The Sociopathism of Trees
Summary: a cold hearted killer makes a promise with an abused five year old. Will the promise be kept? "Are you an angel?" "For you? Yes." eventual SASUSAKU plz read and reveiw
1. Chapter 1

_Hello everyone! Well I know that I am really behind on my other stories, but this story has been bouncing around in my head and I think I like the idea a lot so I am going to start on it._

_Some things you need to know are: Sakura is 17 and so is Haku, Naruto and the rookie nine, gai's team is 18. Haku looks more like a guy and his hair is longer than Naruto's but it goes downward not up in spikes. Can you picture that? If not just think of a really hot guy with longer hair._

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A pair of emerald green eyes glanced down at the large and prospering ninja village. Her eyes took in every detail not skipping a single nook or cranny in the area. She watched all the people flowing through the streets. She didn't miss or forget a single face. She sighed. _Will there be no challenges in this village of Konoha? It has been so long since I truly took on a real opponent._ There was a small thud behind her, any normal ninja wouldn't have felt or heard it but her finely tuned ears picked up everything.

"So? What do you think? Will we find someone here? Or will it be another disappointment like the others?"

"I don't know Haku. We will just have to wait and find out. Haku, thirty feet and approaching, only two."

"Got it."

They both disappeared in a flash. The only way you could tell they were there was a slight breeze at their disappearance. Then two ninja jumped down on to the small open cliff overlooking the village.

"Ah! So good to be home after such a long mission, eh Teme?"

"Shut up Dobe."

"What did you just call me Teme?"

"You heard me."

They kept bickering and each round their voices got louder and louder. The taller ninja with dark hair and dark eyes turned his head suddenly.

"What is it Teme?"

The blond ninja with cerulean eyes, started turning around in circles looking everywhere.

"Nothing I just thought…Nothing."

He sighed and they both jumped down off the cliff and toward the village. A gentle wind rolled off the cliff and toward the village, it was cold and foreboding but no one in the village noticed.

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I small white rabbit went racing through the trees. A small pale girl ran to catch it. An older boy was searching the other side of the large park calling the little girls name.

_What fun these little people of Konoha are. They run in circles like clock work dolls going round and round in a cuckoo clock._ Green eyes again watched the little girl and the rabbit. The little girl tripped on a fallen branch and started to cry. She began to cry harder as the little white rabbit hopped out of her sight.

A gentle warm breeze that smelled of cherry blossoms wafted past her. It calmed her and she stopped crying, and resorted instead to the occasional sniffle. She looked up when she heard soft footsteps in the grass. She gasped in awe at the sight before her. A 17 year old girl with odd but beautiful pink hair, and green eyes the likes of which she had never seen in anybody before, they seemed to capture your attention and hold you mesmerized until she chose to set you free. The girl was tall and thin; she had a willowy form and had flawless, milky white skin. She looked like a princess that had just walked out of her story books. The only thing that ruined that thought was the fact that she was wearing a red Chinese style shirt, with a pair of gray cargo shorts that went past her knees.

"Here, I thingk this belongs to you, I am jealous of you your pet is so soft and cuddlely."

The girl didn't even realize that the teen had her pet in her arms; she was so entranced by her musical voice. But then she noticed something very strange. Her rabbit was completely still, in fact it was even nuzzling into the teens arms.

"Tylo! How? He never stays still in people's arms! I have never seen him so friendly before!"

"Animals have always liked me. They always seem to come to me." She brought Tylo up to her eye level. "Now Tylo, please be kind to this girl here she really loves you and just wants your love back, you don't have to be kind to anyone else but can you please be kind to her?"

With that said she set the rabbit genteelly in the small girl's arms, where he stayed still and made no attempt to jump away.

"Oh thank you miss angel!"

"Miss angel?"

"Oh yes! You look like and angel and you are so kind to me." She looked down, "No One is ever kind to me. Not even my brother."

"Yukiko! Yukiko where are you, you little brat!?"

The little girl looked toward the direction of the voice and shuddered. She looked back up at the teen and smiled weakly. The teen smiled back.

"Don't let them get to you Little Rabbit, they may say horrible things and be mean to you but never forget that the only reason they are mean is because they are jealous of you."

The teen reached out and tousled the girl's hair.

"Thank you Miss Angel!"

She heard her brother calling again and looked his way. She could just see him through the trees. She felt a warm comforting breeze that smelled of cherry blossoms and turned to see her angel was gone.

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'Miss Angel' appeared on the cliff from before. Haku stood watching her closely from his post in a tree. He sighed and jumped down to lean against the trunk. He grinned evilly at her.

"So are going to go kill her for insulting you like that?"

She distractedly looked over her shoulder at him.

"What?"

"For calling you an angel. You look kind of out of it, how about I go kill her and get it done with."

He turned and was about to leave when a frigid wind wrapped around him and stopped him from moving.

"You will not touch her, you will not so much as look at her."

The wind let him go and he stopped; he didn't turn around because he knew she hadn't. He opened his mouth to retort but shut it immediately, he knew better than to say anything, he was unfortunate enough in his first few years of traveling with her that she had a nasty temper and was someone you really did not want to mess with. He had followed her to the park and seen her interaction with the little girl and the rabbit. He was still in shock by what he saw. She really had seemed like and angel, he had never seen her so sweet. He loved her how she was but when he had seen her smiling at that little girl she had become more beautiful than anything he had ever seen.

"You know Sakura, you have been acting strange since we got here. Do you want to skip this village and move on to the next one?"

He hadn't even blinked and he was pinned up against the tree with her hand almost crushing his throat. As it was he could barely breathe and he was scared. As much as he loved her she still scared him on occasion.

"No! We will stay here and destroy this village if we have to! I may have a past here but it will not stop me from raising this place to the ground if I so wish it!"

She dropped him and he feel all the way to the ground. She gave a death glare that froze him where he sat, it chilled him all the way into his very soul.

"Why didn't you tell me? I love you but you refuse to tell me anything about yourself."

Her glare dissipated and she turned away from him. She instead turned her gaze on Konoha.

"I know and I'm sorry but it is not something I would like to discuss."

She closed her eyes.

"**No! Please no! Don't hurt them! Please!"**

Her eyes snapped back open in response to the unwanted memory.

"Haku, I think tonight I need to go have some fun."

His grin in response to her statement was evil and full of malice toward anyone that got in her way. This was the Sakura he knew. The girl he meet in the middle of the night when he was attacked by a gang. She had killed everyone in the gang in a matter of seconds. She had then helped him up and walked away. He had run after her and followed her. He had watched as she went throughout the village mercilessly killing anyone that passed her that she didn't like the look of. She had then left the village behind, and still he followed her. She didn't talk to him and he didn't talk to her. After about a week he still followed her and she had picked up enough outdoors stuff for him to be comfortable when they didn't stay in a village. He joined her in training and they killed together. They had stayed together ever since. He had begun to love her over the years, and he had finally gotten up the guts to tell her and they had been together, together, for about a year now. He knew however in his heart of hearts that she didn't truly love him the way he loved her. He walked over to her and hugged her from behind and watched the sun set in the background of the village.

"It really is picturesque isn't it?"

"It will be a pleasure to see it wrapped in fear and chaos."

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THUD

Yukiko hit the wood floor hard. Her father grabbed her by the hair and dragged her across the floor, leaving a red trail.

"You little bitch! How dare you wander off like that! Next time you will do anything to make me angry you will lose something else! Now get out of my sight!"

"Yes father."

She crawled out of the room and made her way outside through the garden and into her small shack. It had a hard dirt floor and there were holes in the roof but she didn't care. It was her own little space. She stepped inside and shut the tattered flap over the door. She sat down and started to sob. The pain in her hand was unbearable. She looked down at the bloody stump where her pinky used to be through eyes blurred with tears. She felt something soft crawl onto her lap. She looked down to see her snow white rabbit.

"Hello Tylo."

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It was night time and Konoha was silent. A man walked home with a bag of groceries. A breeze screamed past him and froze him to the core. He felt like he would never be happy again. Then wetness warmed his chest he looked down to see a sword tip protruding from his heart. He was about to scream when a hand wrapped around his head and clamped his mouth shut. He started to tremble and became light headed with blood loss. The last thing he felt was himself being lifted from the ground by the sword that was in his chest.

"Just how I like them. Silent, but then again his fear did all the talking."

She laughed mirthlessly and anyone who heard it would be no means need the chilling winds to freeze them. She brought her sword up to her face and licked some of the blood off. Then as silent as the night its self she disappeared.

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The village of Konoha was all a buzz. Everyone was talking about a murderer. The ninja had found the body early in the morning. The villagers would have been fine with any old murder as stone hearted as it may seem **(A/N keep in mind these are people in a ninja village, they are used to death)** but this murder had them all shock and appalled. The man had been cleanly cut in two, right down the center. The Hokage hadn't said a word to consol the people and that had them even more worried. A darkly clad figure walked through the market listening to all the gossip about what kind of man would do something like this. The figure snickered,_ Fools they think only men are capable of some thing as cold hearted as this. It doesn't even accure to them that a girl could have done it. Now then who will it be? Who will be next?_

A man supervising those at his cart wandered around his cart watching all his produce. He jumped a little when he was tapped on the shoulder. A dark looking man who held up a bag of his product.

"My, my, aren't we jumpy my good fellow."

"You must be deaf if you don't understand why. It is the murderer!" He dramatically paused and looked frightened but then shook his head.

"I think that the guy will be caught I think he is just some weakling who will be no trouble for our ninja!"

The dark figure just shook his head and walked away after paying for what he wanted.

No one saw him exit the village and leap up on to the cliff near it. He dropped back his hood and brushed a hand through his hair. He turned around and was not surprised to see Sakura behind him glaring hatefully at the village.

"Sakura you should hear some of the things they are saying about your little escapade last night. They think that you must be a man and a weakling at that."

"Fools. I think tonight I will have some more fun but I want to leave tomorrow night. I want to make all the villages tremble in fear and hatred, this peace is to happy and the people and ninjas have all grow docile. There will be no fun until they realize what I can really do."

Haku trembled as much with excitement as fear. He sat down and was about to make them lunch form the food he bought from the village when Sakura tensed.

"One, Ten meters and closing."

They both disappeared. A dark blue clad ninja jumped down from the trees and looked around through narrowed sharingan eyes **(a/n I give you three guesses who!)**

"Hn. I was sure there was some one here and I am never wrong."

Shrugging he jumped off the cliff and down to the village. Sakura and Haku came out of hiding.

"He is defiantly someone to watch out for. I think when we come back I would like to toy with that one. He seems like someone easily angered and arrogant."

_Interesting, maybe this village has some uses after all._

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Yukiko was hiding in her shed again. He eyes were red and puffy from crying. She had worked so hard for them and they still were so mean to her. She didn't understand it at all. Why didn't they like her? All she wanted was for someone to be kind to her, to be loved, that was all she had ever asked. But still everyone saw looked at shunned her. Everyone she tried to greet was kicked her out of the way. She had no one. She was no one. She was worth nothing. That is what they all ways said to her. All she had ever done was try to please them but they always found something wrong and made her pay dearly for it.

She broke out into fresh sobs. Every drop seemed to wrack her tiny body. So many times had shop dreamed of someone to take her away from this evil place. Some many times had she hoped against all hopes that someone would smile at her. Even a simple smile was all it would take to make her happy, to restore the hope that she had all but lost.

She cried herself to sleep. Her small fluffy white rabbit hopped his way over to her and snuggled up against her. _I am here for you Little Rabbit._ She shot up and looked around.

"What? Wh….Who said that?"

She started to get very scared. Tylo some how managed to hang onto her when she shot up and was now sitting in her lap. He twitched his nose in concern. **(a/n I know it is a rabbit and can't really show emotion but bear with me here)**

She looked down at the rabbit and gave a weak little smile. Tylo had helped her keep the little joy she had left. Even before her angel had talked to him he had, when she was especially sad, let her pet him and hold him. But now he was always by her side and helped her, even kept her that little bit warmer at night. She even felt that sometimes she could understand him and how he felt.

"Don't worry Tylo I think I am just being silly."

She lay back down and Tylo snuggled down into her chest. She had the most wonderful dream.

_She was in the market and holding Tylo firmly in her arms, she knew how much her hated being around other people. She found an apple in the road and scooped it up and held it up before her. "Look Tylo! We will get to eat tonight!" she took a bite and savored its taste. It had been so long since she had anything to eat. With some difficulty she tore off a piece and fed it to her rabbit. He squirmed. "Don't be silly Tylo! Of course I will get enough! It is you I am worried about!" he stopped and slowly ate the offered piece. She finished the apple and buried the seed in a far corner of the park. She set Tylo down and kneeled down before the small mound of earth. And begged the little seed to grow. She heard faint thuds that meant Tylo was moving. She looked around to see a white blob moving further away from her and across the park. "Tylo!" she took off after the little creature but try as she might she could not find him. She tripped and fell sobbing to the ground. She stopped crying when she felt herself gently picked up and cradled in soft arms. She smelled cherry blossoms and heard a very soft singing. She looked up into the face of her angel. "Miss Angel!" "Shhhh. Go to sleep Little Rabbit and remember Tylo will always connect us." _

She smiled softly in her sleep.

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Off in the village the only angel to be found was and angel of death. She felt her self soften for a moment. She thought she heard a small voice calling out to her.

"Oh please spare me! I have done nothing wrong to you. Have I?"

"Shut up!"

She cut him down the middle like the other nine victims she had left behind. And just like all the others she licked a bit of his blood off her sword.

"Hmmm. Shall I stop now? No. One more aught to do it. Eleven in total, yes I always did like odd numbers."

She stepped out again into the night. Her next victim would have a longer time to live under her watch. This one was special. This one would be fun.

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The man tossed and turned in his sleep. He felt uneasy, it was like the night had become absolutely silent and that was what was causing him to stir. He sat up in bed and rubbed his head. And stopped. The world had become silent. It was very eerie; he opened his door that led out onto a deck. He looked around and scowled. As long as he was awake so would that little bitch Yukiko. He would beat her and blame her and see the satisfaction of seeing her miserable. He turned around to go get her when he was hit with an icy wind.

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the next day was much the same as before but this day the village was quiet. Instead of buzzing with suspicions of who was the killer, people were out only if they had to be. And when they talked to others it was in quiet whispers. No longer did they think the killer was weak now that the killer had murdered a high level ninja **(a/n Yukiko's uncle by the way I couldn't think of how to fit that in there)** they were shocked. The total deaths now counted 12 the first murder and the 11 new ones. It had everyone baffled. Even the ninja couldn't figure it out. There were no traces anyone had been there. It was rumored that Shikamaru Nara had even worked on the case and still hadn't figured anything out. And he was the best! No one felt safe anymore. The village of Konoha was silent. But the air was heavy with tension and fear.

Sakura breathed it all in. she reveled in it actually she was walking through the village with a blank look on her face, but inside she was ecstatic. There was no other word for it. she headed for the park to take a stroll through the trees. They were tall birches and ash trees. There were no others like them this park was special. And she for one planned to see it again before she left. And maybe inside she was hoping to see Rabbit again. But as soon as that thought popped up she pushed it away. She was a killer! She wasn't supposed to have love or kindness in her! But when she saw that little girl it was drawn out of her and she just wanted to be and angel for that little girl no matter what it took.

She softly whistled and a soft breeze wafted past. Carrying with it the small pure sound. She sat down with her back against a tree and waited, it wouldn't be long now. As if on cue a little girl chasing her small pet came racing into view. The rabbit hopped over to her and into her lap. She whispered quietly into its ear.

"Good job Tylo, I knew I could count on you."

She looked up and smiled at the little girl who came running up. Yukiko's eyes got as round as saucers. She fell to her knees and started to cry. Instantly she felt arms wrap around her and herself being rocked gently in her angel's arms. It only made her cry harder.

"Shhhhhhh. What is wrong my Little Rabbit? Why do you cry?"

"I….I th...thought I…would….never see…..see y…you again!" Yukiko wrapped her arms around Sakura's chest and hugged her like she was hanging on for dear life. For a while they sat there, Yukiko wrapped around Sakura and Sakura holding Yukiko in a warm embrace. Yukiko was the first to move. She sat up in Sakura's arms. Sakura smiled at her.

"All better now?"

Yukiko being the five year old she was nodded.

"I am glad to hear it."

"Are you a ninja too Miss Angel?"

"What?"

"Do you know how to stop people from hurting others?"

"Yes."

"Could you teach me? Please? I will try really hard! I won't burden you or hinder you in anyway I promise!"

"I will teach you but not now. I am sorry to say but I have to leave tonight. There are others… Well I have to be moving on but I will come back. And while I'm gone I will send you things okay? Letters and ways to heal, and tricks to keep from getting hurt."

"But…"

Sakura put a finger to Yukiko's lips.

"Will you practice until I get back?"

she nodded and Sakura smiled.

"Well then when I get back you and I will be inseparable okay? And no one, I mean no one will ever hurt you again."

Yukiko positively glowed with happiness. When her angel came back everything would be alright. She just had to study all the things sent to her and practice every free moment she had. With her hope fully restored she and her angel parted ways.

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It was a year later to the day. It had been a very dark year. All people in all villages in all countries feared for their lives every moment of every day. The terror bestowed upon the people blamed solely on the nameless killer. The killer hadn't left any trail. Even though many ninja had tried to capture the killer those that were found alive had no clues. This fact led to many calling the killer the Scarlet Shadow **(a/n if any one knows how to say that in Japanese will you tell me? I like it better when the names are in Japanese.)**. the death toll had shot up into the hundreds. Every village had lost many and many had lost hope of ever catching the Scarlet Shadow.

Cold green eyes looked down upon Konoha. She was back with Haku behind her. With a voice full of malice and hate she said two words.

"I'm back."

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_So? What do you think? It is really dark but has light within it and hope for a better life for two. But will that promise be kept? Will Sakura even feel anything now? Or has she become cold beyond repair?_


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura scanned the peaceful buildings from the roof tops, searching for her target. _'Ahhh. That one will do quite nicely. And catch them off guard no doubt.' _ She had spotted a three-story building that housed all the messenger birds from other villages and their own. It was also conveniently placed close to the Hokage Tower. She jumped down from her perch and walked to the door of the building. She had no fear of being caught; in fact she hoped she would be. It was the whole reason she was going to burn this building to the ground. She wanted to play with this village, see what strength they had.

Once the building was good and on fire she hid in the shadows to admire her work. Soon enough people started to run to and from like chickens with their heads cut off. It amused her to no end. She scoffed however, when some of the village ninja started to do the same thing. A ninja showed up that caught her eye, he had black hair that spiked up in the back and onyx eyes to match, he had a good body, she had to admit. _'He might match Haku.' _the ninja was giving orders to others to put out the fire or at least keep it from devouring other buildings. A blonde ninja jumped to his side.

"Oi! Sasuke-teme, how's it going?"

_'Oh so that's who he is, Uchiha Sasuke. He does look like his brother. He will defiantly match Haku.'_

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Yukiko happily raced after Tylo, she had come to enjoy this. Tylo had unexpectedly run off many times in the past year, each time taking her to a different spot where something lay hidden. Sometimes it was a book on how to control chakra, other times it was a scroll with a very basic medical jutsu. She had worked hard throughout the year and had almost mastered each of the jutsus, but she was having trouble with the physical parts of them. Also she had been sent a really difficult medical jutsu that involved replacing tissues cells; she hoped that when she was able to master it she could replace the fingers her family had taken. So she continued to chase her pet and hoped that her next book would be on wind techniques because they always reminded her of her angel. She figured that if she could create the same winds that her angel did then she would appear. The rabbit ran into a more crowded area; when she managed to look up she was shocked to see a building was on fire. When she looked back to her rabbit he was gone, she started to panic and swept through the square. He was no where to be found and she was starting to cry. A familiar warm wind wrapped around her like a thread and led her stumbling through the crowd and out past a forested park. She picked up her pace and only stopped running when she was in another forested area behind the Hokage monument. In front of her stood her angel with Tylo in her arms. She was wearing the same thing as last time but now her cargo shorts were black and her top was dark green, she also had bandages from he shoes to her knees and fingerless gloves that went up past her elbows.

Yukiko ran up and hugged Sakura around the legs as tight as she could.

"It's been a while Little Rabbit, have you been practicing what I sent you?"

Yukiko turned her face up toward Sakura's smiling face, her eyes shining with pure happiness.

"Yes, oh yes I have!"

Her face clouded, and Sakura looked a little worried.

"But I can't do the one about remaking the cell thingies. It is really hard!"

Sakura began to laugh and shake her head. She handed Tylo down to the little girl and took her hand. She led them to a large oak tree and sat down cross-legged with both her rabbits across from her. She went into mock serious teacher mode, Yukiko sat with her back straight completely enthralled as Sakura began to explain the secret to the jutsu. She beckoned for Yukiko to hold out her hand, when she held Sakura's hand glowed green and her pinky slowly rebuilt itself.

"Do you understand how I did that?"

She nodded and held out her hand that was missing three other fingers. She shut her eyes and scrunched up her face in concentration. Slowly, achingly slowly all three fingers at once started to regrow. Sakura was shocked to say the least. If this child had been loved, nurtured, and encouraged sooner she would have been one of the greatest protégées the village would ever see. The fingers stopped growing a bit early, and since the little girl was out of chakra and exhausted Sakura decided to help. Her hand glowed green again and the fingers became working and healthy once again. The little girl collapsed asleep against her lap. Sakura laughed and resettled the girl in her lap and leaning her head against her chest. Sakura kept her hand glowing green and placed it on Yukiko's head; she let her chakra flow through the girl's body, healing every bruise and fracture, it also strengthened her muscles so that when she started training the girl in taijutsu she would be very good at it.

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Haku sat waiting in a branch of a giant willow. He looked around the large clearing that surrounded him. Where the flat lush green grass met the thick forest a band of blooming cherry blossom trees in full bloom launched their petals into the breeze. Woven together to the point where they became one colossal tree were a massive cherry blossom tree and the willow he sat in. the think branches formed rooms and furniture inside while the leaves created walls, windows, and ceilings. Altogether the trees had roughly three stories with an attic that had an open view of the clearing with a dome over it that was so clear you would never know it was there, and it was further enhanced by the fact that air and noise was able to pass through. Behind the tree-house a small hill rose, at the top a black marble bowl filled with a gushing crystal spring served as their source of water; once side of the bowl opened out into a black marble slide that the water tumbled down. If you followed it you would be led to a pristine lake with a tiered water fall at one end, the surface under the water was all made of the same completely natural smooth black marble. Haku sighed, it was such a beautiful area, and the complete opposite of where you would figure a couple of mass murderers would live. But it had always been their home. A sudden wind picked up, luke-warm and smiling of jasmine, his back straightened and his eyes became more alert. A wave of petals blocked his view of the spot between two of the largest cherry trees that acted like a gateway, when they passed he could see his cherry blossom with a strangely familiar child sleeping in her arms. She walked over and the child started to stir, she was set down and Sakura said a few unclear words, at this the child started to run around the clearing pointing to things and laughing. He jumped silently over to Sakura.

"It is good to see you smiling again, but really, a child? She could be a liability. And she is so innocent. Don't you think this is a bad idea?"

Sakura sighed and looked back at him. He walked closer and put his chin on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist, still keeping his eyes on the happy child.

"Sakura she isn't even a ninja, how is she going to keep up with us?"

"You would be surprised Haku. I've been sending her things to begin her training while we were gone and she has been training. In mistake I sent her an advanced medical jutsu that regenerates cells, today I watched as she regrew three fingers at once. And we will begin to train her."

Haku's eyes widened, he knew Sakura could manage an arm, but a child so young just learning from a scroll? And then he processed another thing she had said.

"Why was she missing fingers?"

Sakura became cold and rigid in his arms, her voice cut like glass and was poisoned with disgust.

"I don't know for sure but I suspect it has to do with her family."

Haku became angered at once, he might have been a cold-blooded killer but he couldn't stand unmoved when a child, so brilliantly happy ran around before him, had been abused by those who should have loved her. He hissed quietly. The child ran up to them and Haku could feel the anger of the woman he held drain away, she became warm again. The girl laughed and pointed at the two of them.

"Are you an angel too Mister?"

Haku started and his eyes widened.

"No, but sometimes I wish I was…"

The girl looked confused but that brightening smile appeared again.

"I wish I was and angel too! Then I could fly around,"

she held out her arms and acted like she was flying,

"and protect people! And most importantly then me and Miss Angel could be together forever!"

"And we will be but for now I think you and Haku should go up and get some food, I have some business to attend to."

The little girl looked tearful and ran up to hug her knees.

"Please come back soon!"

Sakura slide out of Haku's hold and bent down to her level, taking her hands in her own.

"I will be, but for now will you be good with Haku? For me?"

The girl feverantly shook her head. Sakura smiled and rubbed her head. She stood up and walked over to the trees where she had come from. A cry stopped her.

"Where's Tylo?!"

Sakura just smiled and let out a low whistle. Out of the forest the little white rabbit came bounding, and in one swift leap her jumped into Yukiko's arms.

As she walked away she said something that made Haku grin evilly.

"I think I found you a good playmate Haku."

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Sakura walked through the wreckage of the burnt building. They had let the fire burn itself out and the building was reduced to a pile of fine ash. She dipped her right index and middle fingers into the ash and walked over to a white wall across the square from the pile her handiwork had created. She brought her fingers up to the wall and wrote Konoha a message. She stepped back and smiled, but it wasn't one of the warm smiles she saved for her rabbit, it was cold and malicious, it cold chill you to the bone and gave a promise of the blood she would spill in the future. If you looked into her eyes at that moment you would most likely see your death.

She back flipped up across the way, over the burnt wreckage, and on to the next roof top all in one graceful movement.

"Time to play Konoha." She whispered and then disappeared.

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Haku and Yukiko sat at a table created by one of the thickest branches. She looked around with eyes the size of saucers. They were eating clod meat on fresh buttered bread, but the child was doing a lot more gawking then eating.

"If you don't start eating your dinner, then you will go straight to bed. And no whining, I make you sleep outside if you whine."

The girl hurriedly gobbled down her food and looked at Haku with an unreadable expression.

"I will sleep outside if you want, it isn't so bad once you get used to the cold."

She looked down and her knotted and dirty hair covered her eyes.

"No, you won't sleep outside, Sakura would kill me if she found out I did that. And besides, if you sleep outside who will use all that stuff up in the bedroom on the second floor?"

Her eyes lit back up again and she smiled. Haku took in the state of her grimy skin and rags that were supposed to be her clothes. He was disgusted be the treatment of this child, but that didn't mean he wanted to be a stand-in parent. He didn't know the first thing about kids, he was a murderer! He didn't take care of little girls. He sighed and put a hand on her shoulder.

"We better get you cleaned up and in bed before Sakura gets home."

A while later a warm, clean and dozing Yukiko snuggled under pale blue sheets with her fluffy white companion. A drenched and exhausted Haku stood dripping in the doorway. A small smirk pushed its way onto his face; he was staring to see why this girl made Sakura so happy.

"Good night Haku-nii-san."

Haku's eyes widened for a fraction of a second then went back to normal.

"Good night imouto."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sasuke was woken up to loud knocking on his door. He dressed quickly and opened the door of his apartments; he refused to live in the Uchiha Estates. An ANBU with a cat mask stood before him before him.

"The Hokage wishes to see you."

Sasuke nodded and they both poofed to the great Lady's office. She sat at her desk, worry lines he had never seen before etched her face. The office was also filled with the village's most powerful ninja; no one beneath jounin level was present. A very annoying blonde stood next to him and yelled out.

"What's up Baa-san?"

Tsunade didn't even twitch, and that made Sasuke worry even more. She handed out a photograph that was passed around the room. It got to Sasuke and his eyes widened at the sight. On a white wall written in ash was a message.

_"Your move Konoha. Don't Disappoint."_

"I don't get it."

Sasuke smacked Naruto in the back of the head, and was saved being yell at when Tsunade started speaking.

"I've seen this king of thing before, but it was in Suna, it didn't say anything about disappointing; but when Suna only started to patrol more after their incident most of their ninja population were found the next morning, dead."

A gasp rippled through the room.

"I imagine the person or people were disappointed by the lack of action so this time they want to make sure we do something."

"So someone set the fire?" asked a voice from the back.

"Yes, and I believe they were toying with us, that building housed all of our connections to other villages and it was close enough to the Tower to send us another message."

"What message?"

"That they could have burnt down the Tower if they wished and then proceeded to take down the village as well. But they didn't so that leads me to believe that they want some sport; they want to play with us before they take us down. Like a cat toying with a mouse between its pause before eating it."

Another gasp and a few whispers.

"We need to come up with something and fast, any ideas are welcome."

Sasuke spoke up.

"We should keep the ANBU patrolling every night and have those who are best at monitoring chakra at strategic points throughout the village. Every ninja of the village should be called to the office and put a bit of their chakra into a card so that everyone knows who is in the village at all times."

Tsunade nodded her head, a few murmurs about the plan passed from person to person. Sasuke ignored it all and focused on the Hokage. He had grown used to whispers following him around ever since he had come back from Orochimaru's village three years ago. It annoyed him at first but now he learned to just tune it out. Tsunade nodded her head again and addressed the room.

"For now that is the best plan we have for now, I want it carried out quickly and efficiently. By sundown tonight I want every ninja's chakra in cards and logged. I want a detail to clean up the message before too many people stir. We don't want to deal with mass hysteria on top of all this. Those who are the best with chakra stay here."

All the ninja raced to do as they were told. She turned to face the Hokage monument.

"I hope this works, but for now we just have to see what their next move is. The pieces on the board are now set."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The cat masked ANBU took of her mask and pink locks cam tumbling down. She smirked.

"Very clever Konoha but that will never work, especially if I am able to sneak into your office without so much as a name asked of me. That just means you need to lose a few of your pawns."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_So what did you think? I worked really hard on this one so I could give you the same feel as the last chapter. _


	3. Chapter 3

Blood and Angels

Blood and Angels

Yukiko tossed and turned. Her nightly nightmares still haunted her; she had thought that once she was finally with Sakura that they would go away, but they had only grown worse.

_Dream_

_She sat huddled in her shack; a hard cold wind was blowing right through her. Her tiny frame was wracked with cold. Then the doors to her enclosure exploded into splinters. _

_There stood her Uncle in all his cold evil glory, a long bloody staff in his left hand. He picked her up by her neck and threw her out of her wooden solace. She skidded on her back across the rocky ground, adding new bleeding scratches to her growing collection. One long but shallow gash opened up along her right side and she clutched at it, trying to keep the blood from flowing to form a puddle around her. Her oldest cousin Beca walked up behind her and kicked her back over to her uncle. He picked her back up again but this time by the back of her neck, he turned her so she could see her aunt who had walked up to take part in the spectacle. She held out her hand and Yukiko let out a pained cry. In that hateful woman's hand laid a bloody and broken white rabbit._

_"Tylo! No! No you can't, he can't be dead!"_

_The next thing she knew she was in the park; she was huddled on the ground and in front of her stood her Angel. Sakura was turned away from her, her arms crossed and her pink locks lifted in an angry wind. She turned her back on the little girl and walked away. Tears streamed down Yukiko's face, she reached out her hand in an attempt to stop her from leaving. But she continued to walk away._

_"No! Please don't leave me! Please! I'll try harder I promise!"_

_The park faded and she was surrounded by her family. Behind them she saw Sakura just as she was at the park, her arms crossed and her back facing her. Her family closed in around her and she knew she wouldn't survive this time. She wasn't afraid of death, she had been on the edge of it so many times; it was that her savior, her mentor, her idol no longer cared._

_"No!!"_

Her little body thrashed around and broke anything her flailing limbs could reach. Haku raced into the room the second she had started screaming. But he didn't know how to stop her and she wouldn't wake up no matter what her tried. He was attempting to keep his cool like a good killer should, but when you have no idea what is going on or how to stop it that can be a bit difficult. So he was beginning to panic. He grabbed a discarded pillow and pinned her arms under it with his weight.

"Haku? What the hell are you doing?"

He gestured madly to the little girls still flailing legs.

"She started freaking out and won't wake up! You left me here and I have no idea how to deal with children!"

Sakura sighed and put a finger on his forehead, she added a little force and he went rocketing across the room, putting cracks in the walls. Sakura turned to Yukiko and picked her up, dodging all her possibly harmful movements. She sat down on the bed with the child in her lap and began to hum a soft tune and a warm breeze scented with calming lavender wafted around them. Slowly Yukiko stopped and her limbs fell like lead to her sides. Her eyelids fluttered to reveal her deep dark blue eyes. They showed pain, suffering, and fear. Mainly fear and it made Sakura very angry but she hid it expertly. Yukiko didn't move an inch, but trembled slightly, Sakura could tell she was trying to hide it.

"Yukiko, you have nothing to fear while your with me. Your family will never hurt you again."

"That's what I'm afraid of! You'll leave! I won't be good enough and you'll hate me and leave!"

Sakura hugged Yukiko close and whispered in her ear.

"I will always be here for you. It never mattered if you were good enough, you are you. And that is why I love you."

Haku stood up in shock. Sakura had said the one thing that he had never thought she could feel or even knew what it was. Yukiko smiled brightly and hugged Sakura tightly. Sakura turned her head to look at Haku, who openly wore a shocked expression.

"If you don't breath you will die Haku. And it would make everything difficult if I lost you to stupidity."

Yukiko giggled and Haku smiled. From being around her for so long he knew that that little barb was only because she cared, not loved but cared, and he was slightly shocked to realize that that was enough for him. Sakura shifted Yukiko onto her back and gave her a piggyback ride out to the kitchen. After she was set in a chair Sakura got out three mugs, she filled each with a different powder, the white mug had brown powder, the clear mug had white powder in it, and the black mug had golden powder in it. Sakura then poured boiling water in each cup and stirred. She handed the white mug to Yukiko and the clear mug to Haku, she herself took a sip out the black mug. Yukiko blinked and looked into her mug at the swirling thick brown liquid, it smelled yummy but she wasn't sure. Sakura glanced at her strangely. Haku noticed and watched the girl as well.

"Hey kid, don't you like hot chocolate?"

Her eyes got big and she sniffed tentatively at it again.

"Nii-san, what's chocolate?"

Haku gagged and started to cough. Sakura rolled her eyes and gave Haku a smack to the back.

"Smooth dumb ass."

"You have never had chocolate?"

Yukiko's face scrunched up in concentration as she struggled to recall any sort of 'chocolate' that she had had. After running through all of what she could remember she settled for a head shake.

"No? Wow kid, wow. Drink up then; tomorrow we are going to feed you chocolate until you burst."

"Don't get her fat Haku; she needs to be fit enough to train."

Sakura got up and took her now empty cup to the sink and washed it out. Haku just shook his head and took a swig out of his own cup. Yukiko wrapped both hands around her mug and brought it to her lips. She took a small tentative sip. A light suddenly lit her eyes like fire and a huge grin split her face. She began to drink her hot chocolate in giant gulps.

"Hey! Stop that. If you drink it like that you'll get sick."

Yukiko set her now empty mug down and looked a little apologetic but still very happy. Sakura turned and leaned against the sink with her elbows back to stead herself, she grinned.

"So you like it then?"

The little girl nodded her head feverishly.

"It's the most amazing thing I've every tasted! Can I have more? Please?"

"Not tonight Rabbit, it is time for you to go back to sleep. You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Tsunade looked at the five chests in front of her. Each one was filled with cards full of every Konoha ninja's chakra. She had been amazed that they had been able to pull this off so quickly. She guessed it was because they all were so nervous with the object of so much fear being so close by. She sighed and reached out for her sake bottle.

The door burst open to reveal five ninja. Tsunade looked up in surprise.

"Lady Tsunade!"

"What?"

"Are the cards ready?"

Tsunade frowned.

"Is that all?"

The ninja had the gall to look sheepish.

"Um, well yes."

"If there is only a simple reason like that then why did you have to burst through my door when you could have just knocked?"

One of then ninja attempted to form an excuse.

"Well, you see, in these times we have to make haste to…"

"In these times and any times you will respect me enough to knock and come in slowly unless there is an emergency!"

At that exact moment a medic nin burst through the door.

"What is it now?"

"One of our Anbu was found at the village border! He will not survive for much longer!"

"Shizune!"

The black haired woman stepped out of the shadows.

"Yes?"

"Take care of these ninja while I go to the hospital."

"Hai!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Anbu lay, meek and pale looking, on the blood stained hospital bed. There were too many lacerations and bruises on his body to count. His collar bone was poking two inches from his skin and his legs and arms were completely shattered. Tsunade took in the grim sight with a heavy frown, only two others were in the room; the third had rushed outside and vomited.

The Anbu whispered something and everyone in the room was shocked to find that he was still conscious. Tsunade leaned in closer so that she could hear.

"…used no chakra…was laughing…angelic laugh…bells…said…wanted sport…green…"

She could make out no more as his heart monitor went flat. She stood tall and faced the two medics. They were both hardened with years in the hospital and out in the field.

"Heal his wounds and notify his family, if they come to pay their respects I want him presentable; for their sakes."

The medics nodded somberly and went to work. She walked out into the hall and slowly back to the tower.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

She walked past the park and watched the petals of a cherry tree drift in the breeze. She shivered when a cold bitter wind picked up and ruined the blissful scene. She continued her walk. Tsunade nearly jumped out of her skin when Kakashi appeared before her.

"Tsunade-sama I do not think you should be walking out here alone."

"You doubt my strength?"

A vein started to stand out on her forehead.

"No, I just have heard a lot of stories about their's."

They fell instep beside each other. He had his hands in his pockets and was looking up at the star filled sky.

"Do you think we will manage to catch the Scarlet Shadow?"

He looked over at her, a bit startled. She looked so worried, and so human. Not like the fearless Hokage she normally was.

"Who knows, I think they will tire of us and leave eventually."

Tsunade shook her head.

"That is not very helpful."

"Not really."

A leaf fell right before them. It was burning slowly around the edges and a message in fiery letters was written on its surface. Tsunade reached out and caught it.

_You can do better than this._

"Shit."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Another five Anbu had been found dead. The whole village was talking about it as Sasuke walked past. He scoffed inwardly, if he was a civilian he would have boarded himself up inside his house until this was all over. But he was not and he was going to catch this murderer.


	4. Chapter 4

Blood and Angels

Sasuke had decided to go for a walk in the forest. He often did now that the village trusted him to come back. He would always go out when he needed to mull something over, like this Scarlet Shadow. Who was he and why did he kill? Was there even a reason? He remained deep in thought until he heard a thump. He figured it was Naruto so he searched for his chakra signature. He didn't find one. The sound repeated but this time it was closer. He fell into a defensive position and threw a kunai at the noise. He spun to face the cause of the noise, and drew in a breath sharply.

In front of him stood the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. She had long graceful pink hair and the most dazzling green eyes. Her skin was a flawless pale and her thin but curvy body was perfect. She wore all black, a short kimono with loose pants that covered knee high boots. He couldn't help but wonder how beautiful she would look in something filled with color. He shook his head to shake out the thoughts, attributing it to hormones. She laughed and he felt himself filled with such a warm sensation that he let his guard down.

A sting on his cheek. He lifted his hand to touch it and his fingers came away sticky with blood.

"Are you really a ninja? You should have seen that coming."

Sasuke was in shock, this girl, this beautiful girl, so innocent and happy looking had attacked him! Him! A Uchiha! Now his pride had been injured and he was looking for revenge.

She stood before him still smiling so innocently. He fell back into a crouch and took out another kunai.

"Oh dear, I've made you angry. Now will you return my attack? It would have to be a good one, or I might get bored."

Something fell into place. He had read the report of the first Anbu to be found after the fire, he had said something about 'wanting sport' and 'green'. This girl had amazing green eyes and she said she didn't want to be bored…

"You are the Scarlet Shadow."

"You say it as a statement rather then a question. Are you really that sure that I am what you think?"

"You just told me yourself."

"Did I?"

"Hn."

She clasped her hands together and smiled but it was different than before. She had transformed from the innocent girl, to a breathtaking but dangerous mystery.

"I must say I am presently surprised. You are the only one to figure it out before we actually start to fight. I even had to tell that first Anbu who I was so your stupid little village would take my threats seriously."

Sasuke bristled at the comment. How dare she insult them so much, although the only reason he had any love for this village and its memories was Naruto, and his wish to become Hokage (Naruto's wish that is). He only stayed for that.

"What makes you think we don't take you seriously?"

What in the world was making his tongue so loose? He never spoke this much. Was it the threat that she posed or this dangerous attraction she held before his face?

"Honestly? Cards with chakra in it? It could take forever to check each card when ever a ninja passes! And more Anbu patrols? Like the other villages didn't think of that! I should have burned your entire village when I had the chance, or at least the Hokage tower. That bunch of fools you call your leaders have no idea what I will do."

Sasuke could no longer take it. He launched at her with his kunai glinting in the mid-morning light, his sharingan activated. She laughed and jumped up into the branches of the tree behind her. They began to fight with taijutsu, she mainly just dodged, but every once in a while she would throw in a hit.

"You're toying with me!"

She rolled her eyes.

"You were fast at first but your intelligence seems to slow the longer I'm here. Of course I'm toying with you. You are quite fun, but you would be better suited to fight someone else I know."

"Am I too much for you then? Who should I fight more than you, the brutal murderer of countless?"

"Have you not been listening? I have seen the arrogance and pride of the Uchihas before but I must say you are the worst."

That enraged him; she knew others of his clan? Itachi? Could she lead him to his brother? He blasted her with three fire jutsu in a row. He charged through the smoke and caught her hands, pushing her against a tree, his body against hers trapping her. It was electric. Their bodies fit together perfectly, like pieces of a complete puzzle. He had her arms pinned above her head and his face only inches away from hers. He could feel the energies in their taunt bodies warring against each other. That attraction he felt before was more prominent then ever.

"Oh dear it looks like I've been caught."

She looked straight into her opponents eyes and saw something warring in his deep black eyes. She too felt the almost magnetic attraction between them. His eyes worried her; she had seen many men look at her with lust, but this, this was something she hadn't seen before. She couldn't deny that she thought he was delicious to look at, but she didn't feel much for him beyond contempt for his village and clan and her respect for him as a ninja. It took a lot out of her to keep dodging and making it look like she was toying with him. A lot, but not all, she still had many tricks up her sleeves, and not to mention she hadn't even used chakra yet! The Uchiha looked a bit worn out.

"Did you use up a bunch of your energy just to pin me to a tree?"

She matched his glare with a smile and she could tell he was trying to keep a hold of his cool.

"So tell me, oh mighty captor Uchiha, what are you going to do now that you have me?"

"It's time you faced judgment."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sakura sat chained to a steel chair, bound with chakra filled chains that 'would never brake', chakra threads that were 'stronger than the chains', and chakra draining seals that 'would drain every fucking drop of chakra from her tainted soul'. She sighed and looked pointedly at the mirror on the other side of white room where she imagined they would interrogate her. What they weren't aware of was that she didn't rely on her chakra like they did, those pitiful bastards. Her travels had been very enlightening and taught her that chakra was not the only useable energy in the human body. In fact her wind jutsu didn't use any chakra at all. So she used it now to see her surroundings. A small unnoticeable draft spiraled around her as it left to map the area in the building and all the people in it. The breeze returned to her in a split second and returned to the energy she had created it from. All the information was processed and she saw each room perfectly, including what was behind the mirror. She overlaid the image of the room with her natural vision and almost laughed. The Hokage looked very triumphant, she could nock her down a peg or two, in fact she would. Sakura blanked out her face and used her now empty eyes to bore into the Hokage's chocolate brown eyes.

Tsunade gasped and took an involuntary step back. Everyone in the room looked a bit shocked. The girl Sasuke had brought in and claimed was the Scarlet Shadow had seemed so innocent and had shattered their notions of the murders. This girl looked like she would have problems just killing someone, let alone the gruesome murders she was being charged with. They all relaxed a bit when Sasuke and Ibiki walked into the room and sat down opposite her and placed her file down on the table separating them.

"So you're the Scarlet Shadow? You look like a weak little girl to me."

There was a sharp intake of breath in the watching room. Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"Believe what you wish, it is of no consequence to me."

Ibiki opened her file and looked at the lengthy list of murders attributed to her.

"How many people have you killed Ms…"

"Six hundred forty-nine I believe."

Another sharp intake of breath and even a jolt of surprise form Ibiki.

"Kakashi we only have 560 on file!"

"Calm down Tsunade. We have her now, she can't kill anymore."

"Don't tell me you didn't know that." Sakura scoffed, these people were stupider than she thought. "You people really should pay more attention."

"Shut up."

Sakura raised her eyebrow again and laughed. For those who hadn't heard her laugh before it was a strange experience. She changed from the coldhearted murderer to a sweet looking civilian girl. Tsunade was very tempted to run into the room and untie her. Sasuke felt a shiver roll down his spine at her laughter.

"So the great Uchiha speaks! Tell me, does this pitiful excuse for a village plan to hide behind you and the Jinchurriki boy forever? When you two die, as all ninja do, your village will be in trouble. You have become complacent."

"Don't you ever talk about Naruto; you have no idea what the village means to him!"

"I have even heard rumor that Kiri plans to invade as soon as they manage to kill the Kyuubi container."

"He has a name!"

"They won't have to wait long; the Akatsuki has captured all the other tailed beasts so now they will most likely focus on the Nine-tails."

Sasuke slammed his hands down on the table as he stood up.

"Oh dear, I do believe I have made the Uchiha angry. Pity, you know your brother was a lot more even tempered."

In less then a heartbeat Sasuke had her by the neck and pinned her against the wall, his sharingan swirling. The force of his movement broke her free from the chair and shattered the chains, the ninja wire and chakra seals were still in place. Tsunade ran to the door and attempted to opening so she could go strangle the idiot Uchiha. But it was being held shut by something. Ibiki was also held down by something that rendered him unable to move. The Scarlet Shadow laughed.

"How do you know Itachi?!"

"He was kind enough to seek me out after my first few years. He was a real gentleman, unlike you; he wanted me to teach him one of my jutsu. In exchange he would teach me a few of his most powerful ones. He has visited me often over the years; he is very kind you know. I like him much more then you Sasuke, but you do look a lot like him. I almost thought you were him when I saw you trying to put out the fire I set, but then I realized, Itachi would have helped it burn down the village."

Sasuke squeezed her neck tighter but for some reason she kept breathing and taunting him.

"Tell me Sasuke, do you realize what you have done?"

His eyes narrowed at her own amused ones.

"You have broken the chains that held me to my chair. I rather liked that chair, not especially comfortable but very decorative. Now that I'm out of my chair I can leave, I had planned on leaving a little later but it was so much fun to taunt you. To watch you tear yourself apart, and burn. I dearly love watching the world burn…"

The air between them rippled and he was pushed back by the force of a terrible wind. It forced it him up against the wall. The pink haired girl walked up to him and placed a soft hand on his cheek.

"What is it about you? Your eyes I think. They are so much nicer, more of a window than a mirror. Just like Haku and Yukiko. Such a shame."

Then she was gone. Burned on the wall was another message.

_I have grown bored with you. You have two options: surrender in front of your entire village tomorrow at sun down, or have your village burned to the ground and all people attempting to escape massacred. _

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sakura walked into her clearing and up to the black marble spring. Washing off her hands. Arms wrapped around her from behind, she tensed for a moment but when she felt how small the arms were she immediately relaxed.

"Angel! You're back! I trained with Haku today! He was so mean and wouldn't give me any chocolate until I perfected my aim! But I want chocolate!"

Sakura turned and the little girl let go, a pout on her face and he little arms crossed. Sakura took her hand and stood up, leading Rabbit toward their tree house home. Haku had come out and was leaning against the intertwined trunks of the trees.

"Haku just give her the damn chocolate."


	5. Chapter 5

Blood and Angels

Sakura lay still as she gazed up at the stars. They were so clear and brilliant. But they were so far away.

Things had taken a turn she hadn't expected. That woman Konoha called their Hokage had actually stood on top of her tower and declared that tomorrow she would surrender in front of the entire gathered force of ninja and many of the civilians. She had expected them to put up a little bit more of a fight. She had wanted to scare them just a little more. It was almost a shame.

When she was seven she and her older brother had lived in Konoha for a year. Her parents had demanded that they learn how the hidden villages worked and how their ninja learned their basics. It had been her task to master the different fighting styles and spot all their weaknesses. She had spent a few months of in each of the villages but Konoha had been different.

People there had accepted them as easily as if they had always been there. People would come up to her and say hello. Children she had never even seen before would run up and drag her out to play with them without even asking her name. They were so trusting.

It disgusted her. She had to admit that for a little while she had been happier than she had ever been in her life. No one had ever treated like she was desired before besides her brother. The villagers acted like nothing bad had ever happened and nothing bad ever would happen. It must have been nice to be so removed from the world.

Ignorance is bliss she supposed.

It was her brother that had finally broken that small bit of happiness the place provided. He had shown her the bad things about the village that the villagers chose to ignore. Old men getting beaten up in alleys and no one helping, a blonde haired child being knifed on the front steps of his own small home and left to bleed among other things. It was truly pitiful. These people lived with clouded scales covering their eyes.

It had been that day that her own cracked scales had finally fallen off. That was the day she had seen the world for what it really was. A hole, full of liars, murderers, and sheep. Every person just waiting to be manipulated by someone who understood what the world was.

So she had manipulated everyone she met from that day on. She had gotten so good at it that only a select few even knew she had planned out their every move before she had even met them.

After traveling on her own for a while she had begun to get lonely, so she decided to pick some one up. But it had to be someone that would not question her, could keep up with her, and some one with potential. She had heard a few rumors about a boy with a bloodline and she had gone looking for him. She found Haku cornered in an alley being beaten by a gang.

She had killed the gang just to drive the message home that she was more powerful than him. Then she had just left, knowing from the look in his eye and the fact that he had no place to go that he would follow her. After a while she bought him clothing and food, letting him know that she would help him if he followed her without question. And he had followed along perfectly, not once straying from the path she had planned for him.

Sometimes she almost felt bad, but she had actually grown fond of him and considered him her good friend. And it was also lucky that he had never even realized that his life had been planned for him.

"Angel?"

Sakura sat up and turned to look over at her young charge. The little girl was dressed in a soft blue nightgown and rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"Yes?"

Yukiko took a step closer. Sakura smiled and held out her arms. Yukiko ran to her embrace and sat happily in her lap.

"I was wondering if tomorrow you would take me for a picnic in the woods. I could pack us lunch. And maybe I could show you what I learned today."

"You want to go for a picnic?"

She looked down at the little girl's long dark brown hair. It was so soft and shiny now that it was clean. And her small body looked healthier now that she was actually eating. In fact now that she took a moment to really look at the girl she saw that she was a very beautiful child. She was small in stature and slight of build, but she saw the potential for such grace. But Sakura's favorite feature was her dark blue eyes. They were captivating and if you looked close enough you could see the silver flecks that flashed when she was happy. But at the moment she seemed saddened.

"I'm sorry it was a stupid idea. Haku told me you would say no."

"I've never been on a picnic before."

The dark blue eyes looked up at her with a small amount of hope shining in their depths.

"I'll do everything, you just have to come!"

Sakura smiled and stood up. In the same motion she scooped Yukiko up in her arms.

"Well then, I would love to have a picnic with you tomorrow. I have a little business to attend to with Haku in the morning but when we get back you and I will go off exploring to find a perfect place to have our picnic. Will you be alright playing by yourself for a few hours?"

"Yep! I'll just play tag with Tylo. Nii-san taught me to hold energy in my feet and legs so I can run faster; and he showed Tylo how to do it too. Then Nii-san taught us how to play tag. He says it is a way to train to get faster."

"Good. And now you need to be in bed."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sakura glanced over at Haku, he was dressed in a black cloak with its hood up so his face was hidden in shadow.

"Rabbit said something strange last night. She said that you taught Tylo how to manipulate chakra."

The hood turned toward her but they did not stop walking toward the village.

"That rabbit is a summon. Summons can use chakra. You know all this."

"Yes. I wanted to know if you did."

"What I want to know is who summoned him."

They both turned to face forward as the village came into view. The Hokage stood on a raised dais next to a large chair. The ninja population of the village formed ranks behind her. Fifty or so civilians mobbed behind them.

"Don't you think their number of ninja is rather small?"

Sakura smiled at his seemingly innocent question. She couldn't see it but she knew he was smirking devilishly under his cloak of shadows.

"Oh I rather think they have been sent off on missions."

"Ah that would be a plausible reason. But wouldn't their entire population of Anbu be here to greet us?"

"That would be the courteous thing to do. But I don't believe we are very welcome here dear Haku."

"These are such uncivilized people, not to greet such distinguished guests."

"Don't be too harsh on them uncouth people usually don't realize their mistakes."

Haku bowed and swept his hand out toward the village, motioning for her to proceed.

"Such a gentleman you are."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Tsunade turned to Kakashi, Sasuke, and the other Anbu that stood at her side. The Anbu stood stock still, sensing for chakra. She had every ninja except for ten at her side and yet she still felt unprotected. She wished Naruto had gotten back from his mission to stand by her side.

But everything was ready for the Scarlet Shadow's arrival. The chair was equipped with everything they had to tie a person down and drain them of chakra. With the Shadow expecting her to surrender she would not see the trap coming. Then Konoha would have finally brought down the infamous murderer.

A breeze picked up, ruffling her hair. A small gasp rippled through the crowds. Tsunade spun on her heel and came face to face with her enemy. The girl was sitting in the chair with her back against one arm rest and her legs over the other. A cloaked figure stood next to her a little bit behind the chair.

"Greetings Hokage."

Tsunade bowed accordingly. After a moment of hesitation so did everyone else on the dais. As she straightened Tsunade activated the chakra seal that would launch all the traps in the chair.

"Did you expect your chair to trap me? Really now, that is both unkind and stupid of you."

The shadowed figure laughed.

"Did you honestly think we would allow anything on this dais that we hadn't already approved? Foolish, foolish people. It is a wonder this village has survived as long as it has."

Sakura smiled when she saw Tsunade's hands clench and most of the ninja's killing intent spike.

"Now, now Haku don't be too unkind, this village has faced many challenges and overcome them. There are some points of light, we just have to uncover them."

The Hokage's shoulders relaxed a bit.

"Now then Tsunade, you have something very important to say to me."

The older woman hesitated and a hush fell over the crowd as a tension invaded the air. Her proud head fell and she could only look at the ground.

"I Tsunade, Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, surrender to your will. What is it you wish?"

Sakura laughed and smiled a sweet innocent smile they had never seen before. The shadowed figure stepped forward.

"My Lady wishes for nothing."

The Hokage looked so bewildered that Sakura began to laughed again and Haku broke out in a deep chuckle.

"Stop your games! You have won! Is that not good enough for you?!"

The pink haired girl ceased her giggling and turned her amused gaze on the dark haired boy and a silver haired man.

"But my victory came so easily. I just wanted a little more amusement. You truly are so easy to anger Sasuke. It might just be your undoing. And Kakashi Hatake I was not aware you would be here. I was sure your leader would send you with the others that went to fetch the Kazekage and his ninja. It is lucky you aren't. I have always wished to meet you."

The man looked more curious than anything else.

"Meet me? Why is that?"

"Is it true that you have a working implanted sharingan eye? May I see it?"

He seemed unsure of what to do. He looked over at Tsunade, who nodded slowly to him. He looked back at the chair to see more of an amused and curious child than a ruthless killer. Did this happen to everyone? Slowly he lifted his hayate.

Faster than he could blink she was in front of him, raising a delicate finger to brush along the scar that showed proof of the surgery. He felt a strange heat fill him at her touch. And with her so close to him he was forced to look at her face. She was breathtakingly beautiful and she smelled softly of jasmine. It knocked him of balance and he had to scramble to reclaim coherent thought.

Her finger left his face and she took a step back. He quickly pushed his hayate back over his borrowed eye. She turned to walk away but stopped.

Sasuke's hand had shot out and grabbed her wrist. The mysterious girl looked back at him with a raised eyebrow.

"If you had something to say you could have just said it."

He yanked her toward him and glared down at her from his extra few inches of height.

"Tell me what you know about my brother. Now."

All she did was sigh.

"I let you catch my wrist believing you would ask something kindly, but I guess I overestimated you in that respect. Now you best let go of my wrist before my dear Haku over there hurts you terribly. He doesn't like it when people are rude to me."

Sasuke glared at the shadow that marked where the figure's face was. Light caught the figure's eyes and suddenly he was frozen in ice from the neck down. Sakura slid her hand from his grasp and sat back in the chair.

"At least you didn't freeze his head this time. Now then, Tsunade do you know the time?"

"About noon I guess. There is truly nothing you want?"

"Honestly? Honestly I wanted you to keep fighting so that I could burn this village to the ground. But alas, you gave up just like all the others."

"Others?"

She turned to smile at Kakashi. His mind clouded again.

"Of course the others had far to big egos to tell you but I've brought every hidden village to its knees in the last three years. Even your ally Suna fell to me. They were first. And to think they never told their most trusted ally. Well you can talk to him about it when he arrives in a few minutes."

Things fell silent and they all watched as the shrouded figure knelt before the girl and they conversed in hushed tones. They seemed to be arguing about something. Anger danced dangerously in her emerald green eyes.

"No Haku you couldn't do this alone if you tried. Neither of us could. But what I need you to do for just a moment is take this box to Rabbit. If we are going to be late I want her to know we haven't just abandoned her. That seems to be her deepest fear. Go do this. Please Haku."

He stood up stiffly and took the green wrapped box from her. Then he raised her fingers to his lips.

"Only for you and only for a moment will I leave."

"Thank you, I'll be sure nothing big happens while you're gone."

He nodded and vanished without even forming hand signs. She sighed and leaned farther back into the chair. She looked over at all the ninja in the ranks before her.

"Tsunade."

The older woman stepped to her side.

"Yes?"

"Your civilian crowd. Are they all Anbu or are there also jounin mixed in?"

Tsunade's eyes grew large and shocked.

"How did you know?"

All Sakura's pretense of politeness, kindness, and playfulness fell away and she was all business. Her face became calculating and her fingers wove themselves together under her chin.

"Do you think I'm stupid? You must have for all the traps you set. Only a fool would not see them coming. And I have not survived this far to be trapped by idiots. Now answer my question."

"They are Anbu mixed with higher level jounin."

"You only sent out ten Anbu level for missions?"

"Ten only."

"I feel it is only fair to warn you that only six will be coming back. You made Haku angry when he found out about the traps you put in the chair."

"But we only made the chair last night!"

"We work fast. Now bring everyone with a bloodline to the front. Do not try to fool me, you will regret it if you do."

She nodded in morbid understanding and commanded all kekkei genkai possessors to the front. As she looked over them Tsunade gathered the courage to ask a question that had been bugging her.

"That man that came with you. Why is he cloaked when you are not?"

"You know what I look like. What is the point of hiding myself? He is still a mystery to you and I plan to keep it that way for a little while."

"Where did he go?"

"He was taking two of your best healing scrolls to someone very close to me. She is a gifted healer, and at such a young age too."

"You stole-"

"Worry not Tsunade, they are in good hands. When she is done with them they will be returned in exchange for more. And you can't honestly tell me that you don't already have them fully memorized."

"…"

"Strange isn't it? That I, a killer of so many, am training a healer. I never thought it would happen. Now then, I want all the files on each nin, arranged by rank and strength."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

When Haku arrived in the clearing that housed their home he was startled to see both of Sakura's rabbits zipping around almost as fast as he was at full speed. They skidded to a stop in front of him, panting.

"Nii-san! Is it time for Angel and I to go on our picnic? Everything is ready!"

He laid a hand on her soft hair and looked down at her apologetically.

"Sorry Rabbit. Things are taking longer than expected. We are trying to speed everything up so she can get back to you but it will be at least another hour or two."

"Oh. Okay."

Haku held up the green box and handed it to her.

"She felt really bad so she got these for you. She went through a lot of trouble to get them so make sure you are happy when Sakura gets back okay?"

The little girl beamed.

"Okay!"

"Now I have to get back before she gets into trouble. Run along now."

He stayed just long enough to smile as she skipped off with Tylo close behind. She really was a charmer. One look and she could melt any heart. He frowned when he thought about her getting older. No guys would get anywhere near her. With a nod to himself he took off.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_thank you all for waiting so patiently! I am sorry about that. Next chapter will have a great twist! And soon Blood and Angels will conclude to make way for the sequel Chasing Angels!!!!!!!_


	6. Chapter 6

Blood and Angels

Sakura casually flipped through the files, comfortable the make the rest of the nin standing in the hot sun unhappy. She wanted to see their discipline. She could see many of the chunin fidgeting, but the higher ranked ninja stood to attention as if they were in the most perfect conditions. She set the thin stack of Kekkei genkai user files in her lap.

"Have them form a single file line. One may come up and present themselves to me at a time."

First in line was Huuyga Hinata. She was timid as she approached the infamous murderer. She kept her eyes on the grounds and her hands behind her back. A slim finger tilted her chin up, matching lavender with emerald. Hinata gasped. The emerald eyes were not ice like she had supposed, they were like looking into the eyes of spring.

"Why are you so timid? You are a Huuyga are you not? The clan heiress. What do you have to fear Mouse-chan?"

"Ummm…"

The finger left her chin and her eyes drooped back down to the ground.

In a flash of movement Hinata brought her fist up to knock the Scarlet Shadow unconscious. But her plan was foreseen. Her palm stopped midair, nothing had blocked it, but it had stopped just the same. The finger was back under her chin. However instead of being the calm finger that seemed like a gentle reproof was now a deadly weapon with a nail that was now drawing a thin line of blood across her jugular.

"So Mouse-chan has turned into the Rat. Do not give me a reason to kill you kunoichi. I have killed many for less reason then you just gave me. I will let it slide for now, only because I am happy you have some form of claws. Now activate your byuakugan."

Hinata felt as if the world had penned her into a small suffocating corner. This woman that stood before her was a force of nature. She seemed as gentle as the first spring bud at one moment, and was the howling spring tempest the next.

She activated her enhanced sight. Everything was normal. In the distance she could even see the Kazekage and his forces making their silent approach. The Scarlet Shadow placed two fingers on each of her temples. Suddenly Hinata's vision went utterly black. She gave a cry of surprise. The crowd of nin behind her shifted restlessly and the next nin in line growled menacingly. The cold fingers were removed and her normal sight returned. The pink haired enemy leaned forward until she was next to Hinata's ear.

"Breath a word of the arriving Suna army to anyone, and I will kill every genin in the village. Now don't make a scene." She leaned back and motioned toward the next ninja in line. "There Mouse-chan. That was all I needed, you may go back down to your position."

She did as she was told, too dazed to think any different. _'Oh Naruto, where are you? You could have stopped this. Couldn't you?' _She was starting to have her doubts.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sakura smiled softly at Neji. He only glared in return.

"No need to be so unhappy Neji-san. I was never going to hurt her. She only needed to understand that her little display would do her no good. And a display of aggression from you would only deteriorate things faster. So be a good little boy and come here."

He growled again but moved obediently to her. She preformed the same action with him as with his cousin, but when she touched him he felt a shivering tingle race down his spine. His body trembled with the feel of it. She laughed softly and it filled his ears like the sweetest music, clouding his sharp thoughts.

"Thank you Neji-san. You were so very helpful."

He composed himself enough that he didn't stager away from her.

Ino was the third in line. She was attentive enough to have seen what happened to Neji. The woman beckoned to her. She was slow to move forward.

"Come Ino-chan I honestly do not have all day."

Ino moved just out of arm's reach. Sakura sighed and sat back down in the chair.

"You, girl, are about as annoying as they come."

Fire sprang into Ino's eyes, clouding her mind and all but destroying her mental filter.

"Don't speak to me as if you were years older than me! You are probably younger than I am!"

The assembly gasped and hushed immediately. With the silence Ino came into her right mind. Her hand covered her slack jaw and her eyes were filled at her own shock. Verdant eyes narrowed considerably. The willowy figure stood up with deliberate movement and glided to her.

"How cruel. To be so foolish at your age and in your profession can be a great disadvantage." The slim hands reached out and grasped her chin. "If I was indeed younger than you then you would have even greater reason to fear me. People grow stronger with age. But as it is I am your same age. However, being in the position we are in, I will speak to you however damn well I please."

Scared cerulean eyes locked with verdant. The blonde's body filled with violent pain and her eyes rolled back in her head. Sakura let go of the girl's chin and watched blankly as her body slumped to the ground. She looked back at the crowd with eyes of stone and a voice as empty as a great abyss. The eerie sound struck into the hearts of all.

"I have been entirely too kind to this village. I have killed ten total of your nin, a number that can be easily topped by even a moderate confrontation during a mission. I have only toyed with you as a tiger would a mouse. This is how you treat me for this kindness? Rudeness befitting a spoiled child. When will you wake up and decide to shed the scales that cover your eyes? You are pathetic."

Sasuke and Kakashi, who were the next two in line, attacked as one. They charged her with chidoris alight. However the dark haired avenger didn't make it all the way to her. Ice crept across the flesh of his hand, freezing the lightning where it crackled. The cloaked man stood in front of him. However his view of the Scarlet Shadow was not blocked. She looked impassive, her loose hair floated around her in the breeze. She stood more like an angel than human, a single hand wrapped around Kakashi's neck.

"Oh Haku, I was beginning to wonder when you would get back."

He didn't turn to acknowledge her but her spoke softly as if her were facing her. "Of course dear lady. I only had to attend to a small personal matter of the utmost importance."

"Ah, that would make adequate sense. Did she look terribly unhappy?"

"No, she was still entertained by her pet."

"Perhaps I should bring her another one." Sakura's grip on Kakashi's throat tightened, "She seems so taken with that one."

Kakashi refrained from shuddering at the thought of what her 'pet' might have been.

"Unhand him."

The cold voice was accompanied by a soft breath tickling her ear. A large calloused hand grasped her other wrist. Her back pressed against pure muscle. She watched as Kakashi's mismatched eyes almost drooped in relief. He hid most of it well. But his heart beat gave much of his thought away.

"Dear Kazekage-kun you are being entirely too familiar."

Haku growled and the ice that covered Sasuke's hand spread up his arm. He glared at the Kazekage with his blood red eyes. He didn't like how close he was to the pink haired woman. As soon as the thought crossed his mind he squashed it, passing it off as he could have dealt with it fine without Gaara being there.

Suna nin flooded the stage, the now more confident Konoha ninja filled in the gaps. Haku knew they were in trouble. They may have been strong, but this was just too much. However, he didn't have long to ponder how they planned to escape for long. The earth started to rumble and shake.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Yukiko had sat obediently reading the healing scrolls for a while before her stomach began to hurt. Smiling with optimism she decided that it was as good a time as any to try out her new skills. He hand glowed a flickering green. Tylo stopped hopping around in front of her to watch the spectacle.

He hopped into her lap when a frown replaced her smile. He looked up at her, his nose twitching anxiously. She petted his head to comfort him. She had always understood his moods without him ever having to say something to her. Come to think of it, he never had spoken to her other than when she was sleeping. He didn't know why. It was instinct maybe, telling to keep himself a secret for just a bit longer. He would have to tell her soon. But he would have to wait for just the right moment.

"Tylo, I think something is wrong. My tummy hurts, but not the sick kind of hurt. I think Angel is in trouble."

Her dark blue eyes looked so utterly helpless. He couldn't stand to see her this way.

"What if she gets hurt? What if the never come back?!"

Diamond colored tears trickled down her cheeks.

"I can't help them! Why do I never get to be loved?!?"

She was utterly sobbing by now. Her body shivered and quaked. The little white rabbit jumped out of her lap. She covered her eyes with her hands, her tears leaked through the cracks of her fingers.

Warm strong arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind. She turned to look at the new source of warmth but a hand covered her eyes.

"You will always be loved Dear One. Don't cry."

Her sobs subsided into sniffles and she began to feel slightly better. But the strong sense of helplessness still hung over her like a cloud.

"You might not be any help to them now, but only ask and help will be given."

She reached up and placed her small hands over the big one that blocked her sight. Her left hand brushed against something silky soft.

"Please… please help them."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sakura burst into a fight of laughter that left her breathless. She and Haku had made it into the branches of a tree before the stampede had arrived. Haku just looked incredulous.

"Rabbits…" he muttered.

Indeed a stampede of rabbits, some of a normal size and others much larger, had appeared out of nowhere charging toward the mass of nin. The chaos and confusion that had ensued were absolutely marvelous to the murdersome duo.

Haku, who was not hindered by a fit of laughter, realized that it was time they make their escape.

"Sakura, time to go."

She wiped a tear from her eye.

"Shame, this was such good sport."

They both vanished without a trace.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

They found Yukiko sleeping in the grass with Tylo curled up on her stomach. Sakura smiled knowingly and picked up the newly awakened rabbit and cradled it in her arms.

"You did good work Tylo. Although I didn't think you would have reveled your self so soon."

His nose twitched. Haku glanced at her with confusion before shaking his head and walking into their tree house. Sakura set the rabbit down in the grass. A shadow grew beside her until it resembled the silhouette of a man.

"I didn't, well not exactly. I covered her eyes before she saw me."

Sakura scoffed.

"She heard you talk. She is a bright kid; she probably has already figured it out."

The man sighed before the shadow morphed again. Yukiko had shifted in her sleep.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Yukiko could hear the breeze brush through the branches of many trees. The scent of lavender and jasmine invaded her nose. And the sun tried his hardest to pry apart her eye lids with his cheerfully warm light.

She gave in without even trying to fight. Yukiko sat up, fully awake. She found herself in a wide open park, shaded with many trees. The wicker picnic basket she had packed that morning was to her right. But she was alone. She began to panic again. A twig snapped and she spun around.

"Rabbit? Oh good, you're up. I was beginning to think I was going to have to eat all that delicious looking food myself."

The little girl ran into the waiting arms of the older girl.

"Look what I made you while you were sleeping."

She didn't give her rabbit anytime to look up before she dropped a crown of indigo pansies on the young girl's head. Yukiko squealed in delight and began to prance around. Sakura moved to sit down on the picnic blanket. Yukiko bowed in a most royal manner.

"Bravo! All hail Princess Yukiko!"

The girl shook her head.

"I want to be Princess Rabbit!"

"Princess Rabbit?"

"Yep! If I get to be called the name you gave me, I will be happy forever!" She nodded her head with all the wisdom of her six years. Sakura just laughed. A sudden light filled indigo eyes and the child raced away behind a tree.

"Oh dear! Where ever did the good Princess go?"

"Don't look! Don't look! Cover your eyes!"

"Ok they are covered."

"No peeking!!"

"I won't peek, I promise."

Soft footsteps came closer. But something else bothered her. Muffled breathing and a badly hidden chakra signature from the far side of the park. They were being watched. A soft weight fell upon her head. Soft petals brushed across her forehead.

"Ok, open your eyes!"

Yukiko giggled as Sakura tilted her very own flower crown so that she could see the silvery white baby's breath and softly curled budding leaves. She snatched Yukiko into a hug, for a moment forgetting the watchful eyes.

"Thank you. Thank you for such a wonderful present."

"You're welcome… Can we eat now?"

They both fell into fits of giggles at her innocent question.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The simplest way to put it was shock. Naruto Uzumaki was in shock. He had come back from his escort mission to find a village overrun with rabbits of all colors and sizes, and a murderer on the loose. He hadn't stopped giving Sasuke a hard time for not being able to stop her after boasting that he was powerful enough to stop anyone he chose. Sasuke had responded lamely that he had chosen not to stop her. Everyone had known that was a lie. Naruto's next stop was to find the Hokage and deliver his report. He had found her in huge disarray with the council and Danzo after her head for surrendering. He had decided that he would go somewhere and take some time to think about the Scarlet Shadow. He was a good judge of character. He may have been an idiot when he was a child but now that was mainly just a front for a more serious personality. Something about the girl who had come forward as the Shadow had struck him as odd. Murderers who had reasons for their killing were easy to figure out. They had suffered some form of extreme emotional trauma that caused them to want to take revenge. Case in point: Sasuke. But she didn't seem to have a reason. He hadn't met her in person, but from what he had heard from those that had been there she had seemed almost too pure to have suffered like that. His next option was that she didn't have a reason to kill. That scared the shit out of him. Someone who kills on a whim, or for that sake of killing was more terrifying than any nightmare he could cook up. You could never tell how those types of people thought, or what they would do next. Not even Shikamaru knew what was going to happen next. Which led Naruto to believe that the second option was the closer of the two.

But as he came to a favorite place of his to think on his own he heard the sounds of occupation. The 19 year old girl that matched the descriptions down to the last letter was enjoying a carefree picnic with a six year old. They looked like loving sisters. So what he felt as his jaw went slack, was shock. The murderer was even wearing a crown of snow stained flowers with fresh leaves! She was the picture of angelic innocence. He was right. She was too pure to have suffered anything to the extent of becoming a vengeful murderer. But she didn't look like she had the emotional unbalance of a psychopath either.

A slight breeze picked up around him. Luckily he was down wind. The air carried hints of jasmine, lavender, and oddly enough honey suckle. The last scent made him feel heavy and sluggish. His eyes grew a little droopy.

With a start he realized he had been found. But it was too late. She was behind him. She kicked him out of the bushes and he rolled to a stop at the feet of the little girl. She bent down to his level, her almost endless dark blue eyes were full of emotions he could relate to. But then she was gone, standing up straight and walking over to the picnic basket.

"Is he going to eat with us too?"

Sakura bent down to whisper in Naruto's ear, then merciless killer once again.

"Play along, or it will go very badly for you and many of your close friends."

She smiled up at Yukiko as she bound Naruto in thick chakra draining rope.

"Yes he is. Do you remember that book I read to you after you first tried hot chocolate?"

"The one about the knight who rescued the princess?"

"The very same. Well you are the princess. But not the type of princess who needs to be saved by yonder knight." She pointed to Naruto. "You are the free princess that captures the knight so that he may see how strong you are."

"If I'm the princess and he is the knight, then who will you be?"

"Hm, good question."

Yukiko began to bounce up and down from her seat at the picnic basket where they were now all seated.

"Oh I know! I know what you can be!"

"What can I be?"

"You can be the guardian angel that helps the princess save the day!"

"I like your idea. Okay I will be the guardian angel."

Naruto almost scoffed, but she caught his glance out of the corner of her eye as an icy dare to continue his thought aloud.

"Let's eat! But wait," She tapped a finger to her lip in an adorable motion. "How will the knight eat if he is all tied up?"

"What kind of guardian angel would I be if I didn't feed the knight?"

So every other bite or so Sakura would shove the food down Naruto's throat as Yukiko ate happily. The picnic passed in peace and even the captive began to enjoy the company of the beaming little girl.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Haku's mouth dropped open.

"What is that doing here?"

"What does it look like? He is our new pet."

The little girl chimed in merrily.

"I call him Knighty-kun!"

"Knighty…-kun…?"

Haku shook his head at the two girls in their flower crowns and the tied up boy that had been in the wrong place at the wrong time.


	7. Chapter 7

Blood and Angels

Sakura held the parchment in her hands, eyes unreadable. It had been delivered by a hawk only moments earlier. Haku watched her worriedly. She had only gotten a letter like this once before, and it had ended badly.

"What is it Sakura?"

She crumpled the paper in her hand and threw it into the crackling fire in the fireplace.

"Nothing."

…

Sasuke began to pace. Naruto had been missing for two days. Ordinarily it would have been chalked up to him having a bit of trouble on a mission, but the blonde had come to visit him when he had first arrived back at the village. Not to mention that there was a killer on the loose that might have done him harm. Sasuke stopped his thought, the dobe could take care of himself. He would never admit it out loud but he knew he and Naruto were on the same skill level. But the Scarlet Shadow had outsmarted the collective minds of the village. Sometimes no matter how strong you are, brains can demolish you in the blink of an eye.

"Sasuke."

He turned to face his old teacher.

"Sasuke, the Hokage has found a way to unfreeze your arm. Also we have a report from an ANBU that had been in the area just outside the walls. He says that he felt Naruto's chakra along with one other. Tsunade-sama wants us to interrogate him to get all the details."

Sasuke nodded and followed the older man toward the Hokage's office.

…

The initial shock was beginning to give way to a happy surprise with underlying confusion. Naruto was tied to a post in the middle of a meadow surrounded by a ring of blossoming cherry trees. He had no chakra to make an escape with but that was beginning to fall further and further into the back of his mind. He didn't know what it was, but the little girl who he was identifying as Rabbit, made him happy. When she smiled he wanted to smile. With one look and a few words, he found himself fully willing to trust her. He had never met someone with that strange power.

"Knighty-kun!"

He watched as the little girl came running toward him with her arms full of flowers and a smile that made the sun seem dim. She let the flowers fall into his lap and set a crooked crown of daisies on his head.

"Look at all the flowers I found! Tylo helped too, but he started to eat the ones he found."

"They are very pretty Rabbit."

The little girl was silent for a moment before standing up and skipping away. The small white rabbit that followed her around hopped over and began to nibble on one of the light blue flowers that overflowed his lap. Naruto craned his head around to look for the source of the light footsteps that approached from behind him. His deep blue eyes narrowed at the pink haired woman that sat beside him. She didn't look at him, instead watching the little girl skip and twirl around in the grass. Almost absent-mindedly she began to pet the white rabbit.

"What are we going to do with you Naruto-san? I imagine you have someone that you are missing?"

"The whole village actually. Are you going to kill me?"

She sighed, "I don't want to, but it might come to that."

He looked at her confused, wasn't she supposed to be a murderer? Why wouldn't she want to kill him?

"Um…aren't you supposed to be a heartless murderer?"

She laughed a dry humorless laugh, but didn't answer him. "Rabbit! Get Haku to start making lunch. I bet if you ask he will make you some brownies."

"Double chocolate brownies?"

"I bet if you ask nicely he will add extra chocolate. And as extra incentive you could tell him that we are both really craving chocolate. Then he is bound to make them."

Yukiko practically tackled Sakura with her hug. Then she jumped up and sprinted toward the tree house. Sakura continued to laugh as she shook her head.

"That girl will do almost anything for chocolate."

"Um, Shadow?"

Sakura sighed again. "My name is Sakura. Call me Sakura."

"Sakura-san, what are you doing with that little girl? Is she your apprentice or something?"

"I guess you could say that. Her family abused her. I can't stand seeing families treat children like that. So I took her. And I will not give her up if that is what you are getting at."

"Did your family abuse you?"

Sakura stood up and dusted off her loose black pants. "No, nothing like that. Oh dear, looks like I have to leave for a bit. Tell Yukiko that I am sorry I missed lunch. Ask her to save me a brownie and not to eat too many herself. She always gets a stomach ache when she eats too much chocolate."

Naruto watched carefully as she walked toward the edge of the tree ring, escape back at the forefront of his mind. But he wasn't given any clues as she simply vanished between the trees.

…

Sasuke punched the nearest tree with his newly unfrozen hand in frustration.

"Calm down Sasuke. He should be fine, you know how he is."

"Hn."

"Let's think this over again. The ANBU said that he felt Naruto's chakra along with what he described as a genin level chakra signature. He also mentioned a breeze with the scent of lavender, jasmine, and honeysuckle. He said it wouldn't have been worth mentioning if it hadn't made him sleepy. So it is possible that the other signature was a lure and the scent was used to incapacitate him. If that is the case then Naruto was the target. But how would they know that Naruto would be there specifically? Unless the point was to catch any ninja that came along. But that wouldn't make sense."

"None of it makes sense."

Kakashi sighed, he fingered the orange book in his kunai pouch. Nothing about the situation made sense. Perhaps it was an unconnected case. But that was even more unlikely.

"Perhaps he just happened to interrupt a picnic between two unsuspecting people and was dragged home at the insistence of a little girl?"

Both men spun to face the woman that sat in a tree behind them. Sasuke scoffed.

"A picnic? That is the worst lie I have heard you say yet."

Sakura just shrugged. "Alright then."

"Why are you here? What do you want with Naruto?" Kakashi practically growled.

"Why should I tell you? What is in it for me if I spill my secrets?" Sakura smiled lightly. "Your village has been terribly rude, so I think it is a fitting punishment that I don't say as much as I told many of the other villages."

"You practically own this village now! We have surrendered to you!"

"Then you really shouldn't be complaining should you? Now then, the reason that I am here before you is because I have a proposition for your village. Are you willing to hear it?"

Kakashi clamped a hand over Sasuke's mouth, foreseeing what the youth was going to say. The older man understood the wisdom in listening to what she had to purpose. They could always refuse.

"We are willing."

Sakura eyed Sasuke for a moment before looking Kakashi straight in the eye. "I am fully willing to leave this village, never to return or bother any of its' citizens again, in exchange for possession of Naruto Uzamaki. I will leave you and your village to decide. You have 6 hours"

She bowed and vanished, leaving behind the scent of jasmine.

…

Naruto listened to Yukiko babble on with a silent smile. She had been upset when he had first mentioned to her that Sakura would be gone but she had brightened up considerably when Haku had changed his mind and made the double chocolate brownies. Haku had left a little after finishing his own lunch with the excuse that he had to finish cleaning up the house.

"Yukiko?"

The little girl paused her story of how she had chased Tylo all around the park to look at him.

"What?"

"Are you happy here? I mean, with Sakura and Haku."

"Of course I am!" She jumped up and twirled around to show how happy she was, before plopping back down and beginning to munch on a gooey brownie. "I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Angel anymore." Suddenly her demeanor shifted and she whispered sadly, "I would be so afraid if I had to go back to my old family."

"Do you know what happened to them?" Naruto could already guess but he decided to try digging for information wouldn't hurt.

"Nii-san told me that Angel made them disappear forever. She saved me." She held up her right hand for him to see. "I used to only have two fingers on this hand. Uncle said if I wasn't doing things right then I didn't need them. But Angel showed me how to heal them and she made all the nightmares go away. She found me and saved me and promised to never leave me. She loves me and I love her. I want to be a ninja just like her and Nii-san!"

Naruto winced.

"No you don't Rabbit." Yukiko turned and ran into Sakura's waiting arms. "You are going to be a medic, then you can help people and save lives. If you are a ninja and anything like me, you will have to take lives." Sakura tapped the brunette's nose lightly with her fingertip. "I am going to make sure that you are the best medic ever."

"But then I won't be able to help you!"

"You will help us more than you know. You will be able to heal us when we get injured or sick. Plus if you are like me then you won't have many friends. I want you to have friends."

"But I already have you and Nii-san, and Tylo, and Knighty-kun! I don't need any more then that!"

"Now that is just silly."

Naruto watched silently as the two continued to bicker good naturedly. The sky began to grow dark and the temperature began to fall. Sakura shooed Yukiko and Tylo inside before sitting next to Naruto like she had earlier that day.

"I made the village a proposition today. A proposition that you need to know about."

"A proposition?"

"I said Haku and I would leave the village and never bother it or its' citizens ever again. But I will only do it if the village gives me you."

"Me? Why me?"

She turned to face him fully, but he couldn't read her eyes. "Because I don't want to kill you. You have seen where we live, you have seen our weakness, the only way you would get away from us at this point is as a corpse. Yukiko is fond of you. That might be the biggest reason." She stopped talking and looked up at the now visible stars and took a deep breath. She stood and began to untie Naruto's bonds.

"A wheel has begun turning and events have been set in motion. When the wheel stops I need to be sure that everything is taken care of."

…

Tsunade slammed her fist down on the desk. It cracked straight down the middle. Some of the people in the room winced while others simply stared. Sasuke seethed in the corner, only Kakashi's firm hand on his shoulder kept him from going ballistic. Kakashi himself was irate, but years of ANBU experience kept his emotions from becoming visible to others. The rest of the rookie nine were showing their own anger at the council but were able to restrain themselves for the moment.

"It is the only logical option. It is only one ninja."

"Only one ninja? Naruto Uzamaki is one of the most powerful ninja in the village! He has saved this place more times than I can count!"

"He is also the host of the nine tailed fox. If we give him up we also give up the threat of the Kyuubi getting free and the threat of the Akatsuki. It is the only option Hokage-sama. Your personal feelings can not interfere in the greater good for the village."

With a heavy sigh, Tsunade's shoulders slumped in defeat. She knew the wisdom in their words even if she didn't want to admit to it. Gaara stepped forward.

"If I may voice my own opinion as an allied Leader, is it wise to give up your next candidate for Hokage? Could you possibly offer another in his place?"

All eyes turned to him.

"In all kindness Kazekage-sama, this is not your village."

Gaara blinked slowly. "Then my soldiers and I will take our leave. We don't wish to interfere with your politics any more." He inclined his head toward Tsunade and walked out the door.

Tsunade turned toward the council with a sneer. "Well now it is very possible our alliance with Suna is in jeopardy because of your rudeness. You are endangering the village. You will no longer be consulted in this matter. Get out of my office!"

The council members stormed out of the room in a huff ignoring the smirks of the remaining occupants.

Tsunade sighed again. "I am in favor of following the Kazekage's advice. However, who would willingly put up with being sacrificed in his place? And what if she only wants Naruto? We will have to give him up." The room erupted into chaos but another crushing fist on the desk silenced them. "I hate having to do this. Truly I do. But it is the only way. One ninja, as beloved as he may be, or a village."

"But we don't even know that she won't just leave us alone. She has said that she did this to the rest of the Hidden Villages but they don't seem to have changed at all. How do we know that she won't just leave us alone if we refuse?"

Shikamaru turned to Neji and answered him. "Because we have something she wants. I doubt that any of the other villages did. Or if they did, they gave it up so that she would leave them alone. I don't like this either but it has to be done."

Kakashi stepped forward. "I will take Naruto's place."

Tsunade closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Do you fully understand what that means Kakashi Hatake?"

"Hai."

"You will possibly be tortured, killed, or worse. You will most likely never see any of us, or this village again. Are you fully willing to continue even though you know this?"

"Hai."

"Then I will take you up on your offer. We have an hour before we will have to give our decision. I suggest you prepare."

Before anyone could stop him Kakashi vanished in a cloud of smoke.

…

Sakura stood outside the gates with Haku a step behind her and Naruto a step behind him. Naruto wrists were bound with chakra drainers and rope around his ankles allowed for just enough movement that he could walk, but no more than that. Across from them stood Tsunade, Kakashi, Sasuke, and the council, along with the rest of rookie nine behind them.

"Have you made your decision?"

"Would it be possible that instead of Naruto Uzamaki you would be willing to take someone else?"

Naruto, who had been staring at the ground, stared dumbfounded at the group across from him. Someone was willing to take his place? They cared about him that much?

Kakashi stepped forward. "I am willing to offer myself as your prisoner in place of Naruto."

Sakura stepped forward as well. "Come closer so that I may get a good look at you." He did as he was told and she slowly circled him twice. "I suppose you would be a suitable replacement." She watched carefully as his shoulders drooped a minuscule amount. Whether in relief or in defeat she wasn't sure. If she had to guess it would probably be a bit of both.

Naruto jumped forward. "No!" Everyone turned to face him. "No! I won't let anyone take my place. If anyone were to suffer because they took my place it would be worse for me than if I was the one suffering. I can't allow anyone to take me place!" He stepped between Kakashi and Sakura and offered up his bound wrists. "I will go willingly."

"Naruto are you-"

Naruto cut his old teacher off. "I am sure. I want more than anything to protect the people of this village. If this is how I do it then this is how I do it." He turned back to Sakura. She only smiled softly.

"Then my promise stands. I will not return. Come Naruto-san, it is time to leave."

Tsunade took a step forward. "Do we not even get to say goodbye?"

This time the Scarlet Shadow's smile was apologetic. "No, we are going to be late as it is." She turned and began to walk away from the gates, knowing that Naruto would follow.

Haku caught the flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. "Sakura, six meters on the left."

She just turned calmly to see Sasuke encased in ice from the waist down and immobile from there up by strong winds. His sword was unsheathed and poised to strike. Calmly and deliberately, with eyes colder than the Arctic, she kicked him in the ribs. He flew back and hit the wall, the force creating a crack in the wall. Then in a move faster than any of them could see she was above his heaped figure, bending down to whisper in his ear.

"You'll never find your brother, and you'll never beat him. He'll only taunt your every waking moment with the very fact that he is alive. He asked me to pass that message on when I saw you. Have fun with your memories."

She placed two fingers on his forehead and added a little pressure before standing up straight.

Without a word Sakura, Haku, and Naruto disappeared, leaving only a breeze that smelled of jasmine behind.


End file.
